Noke Novelties are interesting aspects, picturesque moments, and other quaint nuances of or about the Roanoke area.

Tucked away in-between a couple of relatively quiet neighborhoods, and still visible and easily accessed from I-581, is a higher education system I think Roanoke is fortunate to have in it’s backyard. 

And, we as residents are also equally fortunate I think. This is how the school helped me.

I actually went there, twice.

Originally, I attended VWCC after highschool and until transferring to Radford University. But, after I finished the B.S. degree (English major) at RU, I found myself working (and liking working) in a totally different field. So, I went back to school mostly in night classes and finished an A.A.S in Mechanical Engineering in 2006.

I even have the choice to continue education and obtain a 4-year degree in Engineering at Old Dominion University, but all on the campus of VWCC via distance learning.

That’s pretty neat.

Finding the time to do everything is a little more difficult!

What are your experiences attending VWCC?

Noke Novelties are interesting aspects, picturesque moments, and other quaint nuances of or about the Roanoke area.

A few weeks ago, I proposed a question on Noke News as to the origin of a fountain that sits along Salem Avenue and at the intersection with Market Street.

I didn’t receive any responses to the question at the time, and until now have not been able to look into it and provide an answer on my own.

However, Tom Angleberger with The Roanoke Times provided an answer to the question in his latest (7/14/08) column titled “What’s On Your Mind?”

Here’s an excerpt:

Luckily, P.J. Grubb, a mechanical supervisor for Roanoke’s city government, was able to put it all together for us.

“As far back as I can remember the fountain was originally put in to water peoples’ horses while riding in downtown Roanoke some time back at the turn of the century,” he explained.

Officially, the fountain is still there for the police horses, but, with residential life growing downtown, it’s getting some new users.

“It seems that some of the people that live in various condos downtown also use the fountain to water their dogs while walking them.”

As a result of these findings, I’m happy to include this neat little historic piece on the list of Noke Novelties.

Noke Novelties are interesting aspects, picturesque moments, and other quaint nuances of or about the Roanoke area. 

There is a small but significant memorial just off of Wiley Drive and in the vicinty of Smith Park (a park I visit and write about in a previous post).

Reading from the face of the memorial:

Remembering those volunteers who responded on September 11, 2001 and honoring all volunteers who build better communities.

This marker is something else I noticed when exploring the Roanoke River Greenway. But, instead of a brief mention in one of the Exploring Roanoke posts, I think it is deserving of it’s own post.

The memorial was created by the Volunteer Roanoke Valley Council of Community Services, and is also partly surrounded by some foliage and shrubbery for distinction.

Noke Novelties are interesting aspects, picturesque moments, and other quaint nuances of or about the Roanoke area.

Many if not all of us have ventured up to the Mill Mountain Star at one time or another. It’s very difficult to miss for residents and tourists alike.

But, there’s another marker in the form of a memorial that is just at the entrance to the Mill Mountain Park.

For years before I have traveled to the Star and had not even noticed the memorial, but on this particular visit I made a point to stop and check it out.

It’s a memorial for J.B. Fishburn and is best described by reading from words on the face:

Honoring

1865 J.B. Fishburn 1955

Pinoneer citizen, Publisher, Banker, Businessman, and Philantropist, he watched the tiny hamlet of Big Lick grow into the thriving town and city of Roanoke. He founded the Times-World Corporation, helped organize the First National Exchange Bank of Virginia and participated in numerous business and industrial ventures, ever keeping in mind the recreational needs of people.

Through his generosity and vision, he and his family contributed Mill Mountain, South Roanoke, Wasena, Lakewood, and Norwich parks to the City and Fairystone State Park to the Commonwealth of Virginia. In a final bequest he willed his lovely home and grounds “Mountain View” to the City for its park and recreational headquarters.

It was his dream to link the Blue Ridge Parkway with Mill Mountain, thus enabling Parkway visitors to share with local citizens the matchless view and to create here a great park for posterity.

In his memory and in appreciation for his many gifts, this scenic road joining the park and the city was gratefully dedicated as

THE J.B. FISHBURN PARKWAY
May 17, 1971

Erected by the City of Roanoke, June 24, 1975
*****

J.B. Fishburn Memorial on Mill Mountain, near the entrance to Mill Mountain Park. The road in the background leads up to the Star.

Noke Novelties are interesting aspects, picturesque moments, and other quaint nuances of or about the Roanoke area.

During my travels and as gathering information for another future post, I came upon this marker at the corner of Colonial Avenue and McNeil Drive (which borders a side of Virginia Western Community College).

I’m not sure when the small marker was established, but I don’t remember seeing it during my years as a student at VWCC.

The marker is for Samuel P. McNeil, and it also gives explanation behind his involvement in area which resulted in the nearby road with the same name.

It reads:

McNeil Drive is named in honor of Samuel P. McNeil, the leading sponser and founder of WBRA and educational television for the City of Roanoke and Southwest Virginia. Mr. McNeil served as chairman of WBRA for 25 years from its beginning in 1966 until he retired in 1992. He was a co-founder of the local chapter of the fellowship of Christian athletes. He also served as chairman of the Roanoke City School Board from 1970 to 1976.

And at the end of McNeil Drive is the entrance to Blue Ridge PBS, which serves Roanoke as WBRA-TV.

Entrance to Blue Ridge PBS at the end of McNeil Drive

I think Roanoke is fortunate to have such programming options. And I do remember watching television shows on this station while growing up and, if I ever have children, I would encourage them to do the same.

Noke Novelties are interesting aspects, picturesque moments, and other quaint nuances of or about the Roanoke area.

On the way to work, or in routine travels around the entire Roanoke area, it’s nearly impossible to avoid crossing a set of railroad tracks at one time or another.

The railroad system in Roanoke as seen from a bridge on 10 Street SW

Even more likely, and at the very least, the rumbling of a passing train, or its accompanying whistle can be heard in the background from just about any spot in Roanoke.

This is certainly true for me, as I frequently hear an evening train off in the distance from my home in the southwest part of the City.

Some kind of interaction with the train system is inevitable.

A passing train crosses a railroad bridge near the intersection of Wiley Drive and Crystal Spring Avenue in Roanoke

And over the years each of my encounters with the railroad, whether by sight or sound or both, has become less and less viewed as a hindrance. And more and more viewed as something that I’ve come to pleasantly expect as an important part of Roanoke.

The railroad is very much like the mountains to me, I think I’d be lost without them.

(Roanoke’s Railroad History as well as general railroad operation is quite extensive and wonderfully showcased downtown at the Railwalk.)

Noke Novelties are interesting aspects, picturesque moments, and other quaint nuances of or about the Roanoke area.

When traveling south on I-581, there are a couple exits you could take in order to reach the downtown Roanoke area. One of them is Exit #5, typically referred to as the Hotel Roanoke exit. Because either the left or right lane on the ramp can take you to the main entrance to Roanoke’s historic hotel.

However, the left lane route offers a bit more scenery.

Going this way merges to Williamson Road, and it’s right here that you can see a fountain off in the near distance. Especially for tourists or other first-time visitors, it’s the first notable thing seen as you approach downtown from this direction. Moving closer brings into better view the upper sections of two of the more promiment buildings, the Hotel Roanoke and Wachovia Tower, which reside off in the background.

Welcome to downtown Roanoke.

The Fountain as Seen from a Sidewalk along Williamson Road, Near the Entrance to the Hotel Roanoke

Around the perimeter of the fountain is a basin comprised of a circular array of irregular stone flooring. The entire area is open and easily accessible via connecting sidewalks.

I know it’s just a fountain. But, I think it’s the relatively simple things like this that spruce up what could otherwise be just a plain patch of grassland.

Noke Novelties are interesting aspects, picturesque moments, and other quaint nuances of or about the Roanoke area.

The Unmistakable Tanglewood Mall Sign Along Electric Road

Ever since I can remember the local landmark of the Tanglewood Mall sign has stood in the parking lot of southwest Roanoke County’s premier shopping location. And I think that aside from some relatively minor cosmetic updates to do with the logo, the overall structure has changed very little over the years.

I first remember seeing it as a child, the sign was definitely overwhelming in it’s stately shape and, well, just really cool to watch. The continuously changing messages on display, though paltry by today’s technology, seemed futuristic some 15 years ago.

I best associate the sign with the Brendle’s store that used to be located in the southern corner of the mall. My family would often go there to shop and I remember the diamond that acted as the apostrophe in the store name.

I suppose that, arguably, Valley View is Roanoke’s biggest and most populated mall, but I’ve always been a little bit more partial to Tanglewood. And I think the nostalgia of this sign influences my thoughts.